Multiple station control



m s MN QM mm M Qm A. E. KREMILLER MUL TIPLE STATION CONTROL Filed March 6, 1945 Sept. 2 1947.

Patented Sept. 2, 1947 MULTIPLE STATION CONTROL Arthur E. Kremiller, Glendale, Calil'l, assignor to Adel Precision Products Corp, a corporation of California Application March 6, 1945, Serial No. 581,219

8 Claims.

This invention relates to hydraulic actuator systems, particularly the close manually operable type, wherein a transmitter or pump unit including a cylinder and piston, usually known as a master unit, and a receiver or motor unit likewise including a cylinder and piston, are coupled and arranged in such manner that the latter will operate to actuate or control a device, mechanism or control element, in direct response and correspondence to the manipulation of the master unit. Systems of this character are exemplified in my pending application Serial No. 499,429 filed August 20, 1943, for Compensator-accumulator unit for hydraulic systems, and Serial No. 502,343 filed September 14, 1943, for Thermal compensator for hydraulic systems,

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a system of the character described which is constructed and arranged so that a receiver or motor unit operatively connected to a device, mechanism, control lever or member to be actuated thereby, is subject to the desired selective operation responsive to manipulation of any one of a plurality of master units located. at control stations remote from one another, for example, in aircraft and surface craft and at other places where it is desirable to have a plurality of control stations remote from one another and the motor unit. In the case of a ship, for example, one of the master units may be located in the wheel house, another of the master units on the flying bridge, and a third master unit in the engine room, while the motor unit is located where it is desired to actuate a device, mechanism or control, thereby making possible an accurate and quick control, for ex ample, of an engine throttle, from any of the control stations thus established.

Another object of this invention is to provide a multiple control system of the character described which is of simple and light weight construction, may be readily and easily installed and will be accurate and reliable as to performance.

A further object is to provide a system such as described in which each master unit will operate in direct response and correspondence to the one of the plurality of such units which is manipulated to operate the system, thereby disposing the operating lever or handles of such units in corresponding positions whereby at each control station a tell-tale indication is had as to the nature and extent of operation of the motor unit responsive to given manipulation of any one of the master units.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide a multiple control system such as described which is simplified and rendered highly efficient by reason of being made up of a plurality of separate closed hydraulic systems which by means of a novel mechanical coupling of .master units of such systems at one of the control stations causes such systems to operate in unison responsive to manipulation of any one of the naster units at the several control stations.

With the foregoing objects in View, together with such other objects and advantages as may subsequently appear, the invention resides in the parts and in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a system embodying the present invention, with certain parts and elements shown in section and other parts and elements in elevation, for the sake of clarity of illustration;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the hydraulic locking means of the motor unit.

Referring to the drawing more specifically it will be apparent that a system embodying my invention will include a plurality of transmitter or master units for controlling and operating a receiver or motor unit and the present embodiment provides for three master units designated, A, B and C respectively and an actuator or motor unit D which latter may be connected to a mechanism or element (not shown) which is to be operated or controlled thereby.

Each of the master units A and C is identical and consists of a cylinder l in which a piston 2 is arranged to be moved responsive to manipulation of an operating handle or lever 3 connected by links l to the piston rod 5.

The master unit B consists of identical cylinders 6 and l corresponding in size and capacity to the cylinders of units A and C and containing pistons 8 and 9 and piston rods l0 and i I. The cylinders 6 and l are united or fastened together in side by side relation and the rods It! and H are mechanically coupled to one another for joint and correspondingmovement responsive to a common operating handle 12. This handle is fixed to a cross head I3 secured to and extending between two levers I4 connected to the piston rods I9 and H.

The actuator or motor unit D includes 2, cylinder t5, similar to cylinders l, 6 and land provided with a piston l6 and a piston rod ll. This piston rod is coupled by a link l8 to a lever l9 3 to which a rod is connected whereby a device, throttle or other element maybe moved when the motor unit piston is moved.

In association with this motor unit is a hydraulic locking means which will prevent externally applied loads transmitted through the lever I9 from moving the piston l6 and likewise moving the pistons in the several master units while holding the motor actuated mechanism or element in the desired position. This hydraulic locking means includes spring loaded valves 2! and 22 arranged to control the flow of fluid through passages 23 and 24 leading through the walls of the motor cylinder to opposite ends of said cylinder. These valves seat against tubular seat members 25 and are arranged to open responsive to pressure of operating fluid delivered to the motor unit from the other units of system, but will close incident to fluid pressure applied thereto as when the piston 16 tends to move responsive to external forces applied through the lever H). A valve operating piston 26 is reciprocable in a cylinder bore 21 between the passages 23 and 24 whereby the piston 26 will respond to operating fluid directed through either of the passages. Projections 28 on the piston 26 are arranged to contact and unseat the valves 2| and 22. If valve 2! opens responsive to operating fluid delivered to the motor unit from the other units through passage 23, the piston 25 will be forced to the right and open valve 22 which latter then allows return fluid to flow from the motor cylinder through passage 24. When valve 22 is opened by pressure fluid delivered through passage 24, the piston 25 will move to the left and open valve 21 as the return valve.

In the present embodiment of-my invention there are provided two closed hydraulic systems which act in unison. One of these systems includes the master unit A and the cylinder 6 of the master unit B, there being dual fluid lines 29 and 38 connected at their ends to corresponding ends of the cylinders I and E so that fluid displaced by the piston 2 of unit A when the latter is manually operated will loe transmitted through one of these lines to cylinder '6 to move piston 8 in correspondence to movement of the manually actuated'piston 2. Return fluid from cylinder 6 then passes through the other of the fluid lines back to cylinder 1 When on the other hand, the unit B is manipulated the piston 8 therein displaces fluid to the cylinder I of unit A and 'moves a piston 8, while return fluid from cylinder l flows to the cylinder 6.

The other of the two closed systems hereof includes the cylinder 1 of master unit B, the motor unit D and the master unit C. One fluid line 31 runs from the right end of cylinder 1 to the left end of cylinder l5 of the motor unit. Another fluid line 32 leads from the right end of motor cylinder to the left end of the cylinder l of the master unit 0.

From the right end of the cylinder of unit C a fluid line 33 leads to left end of cylinder 1 of master innit B thereby completing the secondclosed circuit embodied in my system.

, of fluid in each part of the system at all times '7 An accumulator-equalizer unit E is connected to the lines 29 and 30 by means of fluid lines 34 and 35 respectively and an identical accumulator-equalizer unit F is connected to the fluid lines 3| and 33 by means of the fluid lines 36 and 31 respectively. These accumulators are identical and each is provided with a compressed air chamer 38 having a valved intake 39, separate reservoir chambers 0" and 4| and a double piston 42 regardless of extreme temperature variations.

Each accumulator is provided with an indicator 43 to show the extent of initial pressure in the system and the amount of fluid in the accumulator itself. a

The cylinders of the several master and motor units have fluid by-pass valves l -l and associated passages to provide for synchronizing the'system in the manner well known in the art. The

system is filled through the accumulators by means of normally closed filling ports and bleed ports which are not here shown or may be filled in any suitable manner. This arrangement and the'method of filling are known in the art, and form no part of the present invention.

Operation Assuming that master unit A is located in. the

wheel house of a ship, master unit B is located on the flying bridge, master unit C is located in the engine room and the motor unit D is arranged to operate some oontrollon the ship such as an engine throttle, it is seen that the motor unit may.

be operated by manipulating any one of units A, B and C. If unit A is manipulated to move the piston 2 there-in,- for example, to the left of the position shown in Fig. l, in order tooperate the motor unit to open the throttle, the fluid displaced by the piston 2 in unit A will set up apres-- sure inthe line 29 which is connected to the right end of cylinder 5 in .unit B, whereupon the piston 8 of unit B will be moved to the left in corresponds ence to the movement of the piston in unit A. Fluid displaced by piston Sisdelivered to unit A through line 39. 'As the piston 8 is mechanically connected to piston 9 of the other cylinder 1 of unit B, through the levels l4 and cross head I3 it I is seen the piston 9 will move with piston 8 to the left and displace fluid through the line 33to the The mechanical linkage of the cylinders 5 and V l of unit B as provided by means of the levers l4 and cross head 13 to which latter the handle I2 is connected, make the two closed systems interdependent for operation in unison in accordance with this invention without" hydraulically 1 coupling such systems, so that when either syswill respond accord-' tem is operated the other in ly.

right end of cylinder I of unit C. The piston l of unit C Will'also move to the'left and displace fluid through line 32 to the right end of cylinder H: of the motor unit D thereby moving the piston I6 of motor unit to the'leitand through the lever l9 and rod 29 operate the throttle, not shown. Fluid displaced by the motor pistonlfi now returns through line 3| to the rightend of cylinder of unit 13;

In this operation of unit A the pistons of mas ter units 3 and C move the same extent as the V the extent of operation effected at'thegstation at manually operated iston of unit A and serve. as tell-tale indicators at their respective stations of which unitA is located.

When unit A is operated to thereof to the right fluid is displacedthrough move the piston 2 line 30 to lift end of cylinder 6 of unit B thereby moving the piston 8 to the right and displacing fluid from right end of cylinder 6 through line 29 to the left end of the cylinder of unit A. Piston 9 likewise moves to the right, with piston 8 and displaces fluid through line 3| to the left end of cylinder E5 of motor unit D thereby moving the slave piston [B to the right and operating the lever l9 and rod 29 accordingly. At the same time, fluid displaced by the motor piston it will flow through line 32 to the left end of the cylinder i of unit C thereby moving piston 2 of unit C to the right and causing fluid to flow through line 33 back to the left end of cylinder 7 of unit B.

When unit B is operated, for example, to move the pistons 8 and 9 thereof to the left, the cylinder 1 and piston 8 thereof operate to displace fluid for operating units C and D in the same manner as when unit A is moved to the left, while cylinder 6 and piston 8 operate to direct fluid to and operate piston 2 of master unit correspondingly. Thus the operating handles 3 of units A and C will move to the same positions as handle [2 of unit B.

When unit B is operated to move its pistons 8 and 9 to the right, the cylinder 7 and piston 9 perate to direct operating fluid for units C and D in the same manner as when unit A is operated to move its position to the right while cylinder 5 and piston 8 operate to actuate unit A to the right in correspondence to the operation of unit B.

When unit C is operated to move its piston to the left, fluid is displaced through line 32 to the left end of motor cylinder l5 moving piston l6 and lever I9 and rod 20 correspondingly, while fluid from the left end of motor cylinder [5 is displaced through line 3| to the right end of cylinder 1 of unit B, whereby the piston 9 moves to the left and displaces fluid through line 32 to the right end of cylinder 2 of unit C. At the same time cylinder 6 and piston B of unit B are operated in correspondence to cylinder 1 and piston 9, thereby exchanging fluid with unit A and. moving the latter in correspondence to units C and B When unit C is operated to move its piston 2 to the right, fluid is displaced through line 33 to the left end of cylinder I of unit B and moves piston 9 to the right, thereby displacing fluid through line 3| to the left end of the slave cylinder [5 and moving piston l6, lever l9 and rod 20 accordingly. From the right end of slave cylinder i5 fluid flows through line 32 to the left end of cylinder 2 of unit C. When piston 9 is moved to the right, the piston 8 is also moved to the right thus causing an exchange of fluid between units A and B and the movement of the pistons thereof in correspondence to the movement of pistons 9 and 2 of units B and C'.

While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention, I do not limit myself to the exact details of construction set forth, and the invention embraces such changes, modiflcations and equivalents of the parts and their formation and arrangement as come within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a hydraulic actuator system with mu1tiple control stations, a closed hydraulic system including a pair of master units each of which embodies a cylinder, a piston therein, and a manipulatin means by which the piston may be moved in opposite directions; fluid lines connecting the cylinders of said units so that upon 0peration of the piston in either unit the piston of the other unit will be operated in correspondence to that of the manipulated piston; a second closed hydraulic system including two master units each of which embodies a cylinder, a piston therein and a manipulating means for moving the piston in opposite directions; a motor unit embodied in the second system including a cylinder, a piston therein and a drive means responsive to the piston and adapted to be operatively connected with a mechanism or control element to be operated by the actuator system, fluid lines connecting the cylinders in the second system so that the pistons therein will move correspondingly responsive to actuation of the manipulating means of any one of the master units in the second system; and means mechanically joining the manipulating means of one of the master units of the first named closed system with the manipulating means of one of the master units of the second closed system whereby the pistons of said two connected units will operate in unison and the other pistons in the two systems will operate correspondingly responsive to actuation of the mechanically connected manipulating means as well as responsive to the actuator of the manipulating means of any other master units in the closed systems.

2. In a hydraulic actuator system with multiple control stations, including a pair of master units each of which embodies a cylinder, a piston therein, and a manipulating means by which the piston may be moved in opposite directions; fluid lines connecting the cylinders of said units so that upon operation of the piston in either unit the piston of the other unit will be operated in correspondence to that of the manipulated piston; a second closed hydraulic system including two master units each of which embodies a cylinder, a piston therein and a manipulating means for moving the piston in opposite directions; a motor unit embodied in the second systern includin a cylinder, a piston therein and a drive means responsive to the piston and adapted to be operatively connected with a mechanism or control element to be operated by the actuator system, fluid lines connecting the cylinders in the second system so that the pistons therein will move correspondingly responsive to actuation of the manipulating means of any one of the master units in the second system; means mechanically joining the manipulating means of one of the master units of the first named closed system with the manipulating means of one of the master units of the second closed system whereby the pistons of said two connected units will operate in unison and the other pistons in the two systems will operate correspondingly responsive to actuation of the mechanically connected manipulating means as well as responsive to the actuator of the manipulating means of any other master units in the closed systems; and locking means operative to prevent movement of the piston in the motor unit responsive to a force transmitted to said piston from said drive means.

3. In a hydraulic actuator system with multipie control stations, a closed hydraulic system including master units each of which embodies a cylinder, a piston therein, operating means by which the piston may be moved in opposite directions, and fluid lines connecting the cylinders of said units so that pistons of units will simultaneously moved responsive to actuation of the operating means of any one ofsaid master units; a second closed hydraulic system including master units each of which embodies a cylinder, a piston, an operating means for reciprocating the piston, and fluid lines connecting the cylinders in the second system so that the pistons therein will move simultaneously upon actuation of the operating means for any one of the second system master units; a hydraulically responsive motor unit connected with the fluid lines in one of said closed systems including a cylinder, a piston therein adapted for operative connection with a control element or mechanism to be operated by the actuator system; the connections of the motor unit cylinder with said one closed system being such that the motor unit piston will be moved responsive to movement of the piston of any of the master units in said one closed system; and a'means of operative connection between certain master units of the first named closed system and the second closed system whereby the motor unit piston becomes responsive to movement of any one of the master unit pistons in the first named and second closed systems' 4. In a hydraulic actuator system with mul tiple control stations, a closed hydraulic system including master units each of which embodies a cylinder, a piston therein, operating means by which the piston maybe movedin opposite directions, and fluid lines connecting the cylinders of said units so that pistons of said units will be simultaneously moved responsive to actuation of the operating means of any one of said master units; a second closed hydraulic system including master units each of which embodies a cylinder, a piston, an operating means for reciprocating the piston and fluid lines connecting the cylinders in the second system so that the pistons therein will move simultaneously upon actuation of the operating means for any one of the second systemcmaster units; a hydraulically responsive motor unit connected with the fluid lines in one of said closed systems including a cylinder, a'piston therein adapted for operative connection with a control element or mechanism to be operated by the actuator system; the connections of the motor unit cylinder with said one closed system being such that the motor unit piston will be moved responsive to movement of the piston of any of the master second system so that the pistons of said con-c nected master units will move responsive, to movementof any one of the other master unit pistons in both of said closed systems.

5. In a hydraulic actuator system with multiple control stations, a closed hydraulic system including master units each of which embodies a cylinder, a piston therein, operating means by which the piston may be moved in opposite directions, and fluid lines connecting the cylinders of said units so that pistons of said units will be simultaneously moved responsive to actuation of the operating means of any one of said master units; a second closed hydraulic'system including master units each of which embodiesca cylinder; a piston, an operat- ;ing means for reciprocatingthe piston and fluid lines connecting the cylinders in the second systern so that the pistons therein will move simultaneously upon actuationof the operating means for any one of the second system master units;

including a cylinder, a piston therein adapted for operative connection with a control element or mechanism to be operated by the actuator system; said motor unit being connected in the fluid lines of said one closed system so that the motor unit piston is subject to movement simultaneously with the pistons in the master units of said one system; and means of operative connection between said closed systems constructed and arranged so that responsive to actuation of the operating means for any of the master unit pistons all of said pistons will be simultaneously moved. p v

' 6. In a hydraulic actuator system with multiple control stations, a closed hydraulic system including master units each of which embodies a cylinder, a piston therein, operating means by which the piston may be moved in opposite directions, and fluid lines connecting the cylinders of said units so that pistons of said units will be simultaneously moved responsive'to actuation of the operating means of any one of said master units; a second, closed hydraulic system including master units each of which embodies a cylinder, a piston, an operating means 'for reciprocating the piston and fluid lines connecting the cylinders in the second system so that the pistons therein will move simultaneously upon actuation of the operating means for any one of the'second system master units; a hydraulic motor unit connected with the fluid lines of one of said systems so that it is responsive to movement of any one of the pistons in said one system and while being thus actuated will force fluid through one of said 7 lines for moving a piston in one of the master, units of said one system; and means of operative connection between said systems constructed and arranged so that responsive to operation of the operating means of any one of said master units the motor unit will be actuated; 1 Y

7. In a hydraulic actuator system with multiple control stations, a closed hydraulic system including master units each of which embodies a cylinder, a piston therein, operating means by which the piston may be moved in opposite directions, and fluid lines connecting thecylinders of said units so that pistons of said units will be simultaneously moved responsive to actuation of c the operating means of any one of said master units; a second closed hydraulicsystem including master units each of which embodies a cylintherein will move simultaneously upon actuation c of the operating means for any one of the second! system master units; a hydraulic motor unit connected with the fluid lines of one of said systerms so that it is responsive to movement of any one of the pistons in said one system'and while being thus actuated will force fluid through one of said lines for moving a piston in one of the master units of said one system; means of operative connection between said systems constructed and arranged so that responsive to operation of the operating means of any one of said master units the motor unit will be actuated; and valve 7 means associated with fluid lines leading to said. motor unit operating to hydraulically lock said" motor unit against movement except when pressure fluid is conducted to said motor unit through 7 r a, line leading thereto. r

8. In a hydraulic actuator system: withmul j 'tiple control stations, a; closed'hydraulic system including master units each of which "embodies a cylinder, a piston therein, operating means by which the piston may be moved in opposite directions, and fluid lines connecting the cylinders of said units so that pistons of said units will be simultaneously moved responsive to actuation of the operating means of any one of said master units; a second closed hydraulic system including master units each of which embodies a cylinder, a piston, an operating means for reciprocating the piston, and fluid lines connecting the cylinders in the second system so that the pistons therein will move simultaneously upon actuation of the operating means for any one of the second system master units; a hydraulic motor unit connected with the fluid lines of one of said systerms so that it is responsive to movement of any one of the pistons in said one system and while being thus actuated will force fluid through one of said lines for moving a piston in one of the master units of said one system; and means of REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,185,277 Stelzer Jan. 2, 1940 2,292,916 Wheelon Aug. 11, 1942 Hebe] Jan. 1 1, 1947 

